5.26.2015

With zero fanfare to speak of. KPFN 105.1-lpFM radio for Laytonville, Long Valley and all of north central Mendocino county California U.S.A., planet Earth, went on air, Wednesday morning at 7:00 a.m.. for a full day of scheduled programming. There were and still are a few rough spots to work out . But, we are on the air. Laytonville California's very FIRST radio broadcast ever. From a legal licensed, federally approved communication operation. I am so extremely proud of so many people who gave their time, money, cd's, records, equipment and expertise to such a worthy and noble cause, and personally, myself. I am so glad to say, " I live in Laytonville".

We got our own radio station, that's pretty cool wherever you go. This is the culmination of over 15 years of steady non-stop discussions on bringing radio to Laytonville by so many groups of people. Just like any great idea, it will come to fruition. Someday. When so many people have the same idea over and over for decades. It's bound to happen, the simple laws of nature and being tell you that. Three years ago next week, Ray and I figured today. It was exactly three years ago a group of extremely dedicated people got it off the ground. We got our CP issued from the FCC. They give you 18 months from the time you are approved and receive your CP, to construct and get on the air. Ours was up next month. Now you can get an extension. An 18 month extension if need be.It took us almost to the day, three years. I was so glad we did not go on last Nov. when we were first going on air with the wimpy little antennae they sent with our transmitter package. If you'll remember we opted for an SDS ( signal delivery system) Penetrator.. Our signal has been picked up from the lake Mendocino county exit off hwy 20 just north of Ukiah, most of Willets and Brook trails. It fades at Shang-grila around Shimmins ridge rd. Then comes in real good just past the Covelo rd.. Going north all the way to Rattle snake summit all of teh hog far. lower spy rock, all of Wood man canyon and Fox Rock a couple ridges back behind the hog farm. North to Cummins some have called in and reported.

Now this is great for our listening audience but for our underwriters as well. All our business's we read over the air are getting out that much farther than had originally expected. Instead of a 4-5,000 listening. Our listening audience could be closer to 9 to 13,000. Once we get the word out to them also. I never dreamed of getting Willets, or any part there of. People have asked me many times over the duration of putting this together about donating. As you all well know, we have not asked for a dime from anyone, not true. Fuzzy(Fuzzy's Eclectic mix 1st & 3rd Sat.) and Amy helped us get the antennae we now have and donated all the lumber we needed. Tim Blake and Healing harvest farms helped us get our broadcasting console we are now using. Many, many thanks one and all. Mark Francis ( The Silver Merkin on Sundays from midnight to two a.m.) So many, I will get to you all , seriously. Either right here out of the Observer or over the air or both,,,just in case.

We are extremely committed to this project and fortunately, when one stumbles or falls another is right there and things flow, they just flow. Like when your in the studio with a bunch a folks and you NAIL it, You know you got some thing. We have created a beautiful thing here and we are asking for your support at this time. You will not hear DJ's asking you to run to your with operators standing by. I am not saying  we are not going to have any fund drives. We'll have "Fun-Drives". And they will flow with th daily broadcasting in hopes you'll hear what's being said about needing operating capital but it will also flow. Other staions have up to three months of barking for dollars,three months. That's 90 days, a 1/4 of a year on lousy programming. Fund drives are boring radio, they just are. We will have our share of "Fun-Drives" In order to raise operating capital just like the rest,,,,But not like the rest. Stay tuned and you'll get it. I am sure you already have. One thing we have to offer up is a mid-night blue C-6 guitar donated by Schecter guitar and research of Burbank Ca. We are letting out twenty raffle tickets only at $100.00 each. We'll put twenty, numbered guitar picks in a drum and have one our programmers youngun's pull the winning pick and we'll send you that pick to you " toot-suite" by cracky. We'll send you the pick, Schecter will send you the guitar from their pro-shop in Sun Valley Ca.  All the information on the guitar and other deali-O's we got going on. Can be found on our web site, which is. WWW.KPFN.org. The guitar is there, our little gold pay-pal acnt. is there. Those big red buttons are a bit much, for me at least. So, we went with a little gold pill. Kind of low key and still says it's message. Anyway, I think I am beginning to ramble senselessly and have pretty much said all that need be said at this point in time. THANK YOU LAYTONVILLE as I have said many times in this paper,Your the best,thanks.
Kevin Marsh program/music director
KPFN "the Puffin" 105.1-lpFMp